African coelacanth: Whole Genome Sequence

An international team of scientists has sequenced and analyzed the genome of the African coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae. Ancient lobe fins were the first vertebrates to brave the land, and the coelacanth genome is expected to reveal much about the origins of tetrapods, the evolutionary line that gave rise to amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Coelacanths have fleshy, lobed fins, that were believed to live during cretaceous period, when dinosaurs still roamed earth.  Ancient lobe fins were the first vertebrates to brave the land. Coelacanth genome is expected to reveal much about the origins of tetrapods, the evolutionary line that gave rise to amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

The findings were published in the magazine Nature, April 17, 2013.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=slow-evolving-lobe-finned-coelacanth-genome-unlocked&page=2

Electric Eel Genome

Sequencing the complete electric eel genome would be a boon to research on everything from energy production and storage to tissue regeneration, according to some scientists.

Six American researchers wrote a review, published  in the Journal of Fish Biology, calling for dense, seven- to 11-fold shotgun sequencing of the electric eel genome - a move they said would provide information about more than 95 percent of the fish’s genome as well as its genetic scaffold.

Electric eels, Electrophorus electricus, can generate bioelectricity from chemical food energy using specialized electric organs. These contain electrically-charged cells that, in turn, house precisely regulated ion channels and receptors. Together, this system lets electric eels generate electrical pulses ranging from weak, millivolt discharges to strong zaps up to 600 volts.

Another advantage to this particular creature is its ability to regenerate some tissues and organs - including its spinal chord - after injury. Peeking into the eel’s genome may explain this, as well as its complex evolution and neurophysiology.